Director of Health and Wellness

POSITION: Director of Health and Wellness

The Director of Health and Wellness is employed without regard to age, physical, mental, or psychiatric disability, genetics, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, or military status.

NRSD welcomes employees with diverse racial, cultural, religious, class, and/or gender backgrounds and experiences.

Organizational Scope:

Through an equity lens and in reporting to the Director of Student Services, the Director of Health and Wellness manages the district school nursing program, providing nursing leadership and services across the school district. They will coordinate the clinical aspects of the comprehensive school health program, collaborating with other members of the health services and health education team, working closely with all building Principals. The Director of Health and Wellness regularly supervises all clinical nursing staff providing services in the school health program, as well as any unlicensed personnel, such as health aides, and evaluates Unit A nurses.

The work of the Director of Health and Wellness provides strategic direction and oversight of the district’s comprehensive health and wellness curriculum programming, ensuring alignment across grade levels and collaboration with instructional staff to promote student health literacy and well-being. The Director of Health and Wellness will collaborate with District Leadership to enhance the district’s Social and Emotional Learning strategic work and assist in oversight with the Director of Student Services, the District’s 504 process, training, and implementation.

The Director of Health and Wellness should be guided by NRSD’s core values: academic achievement and personal growth; voice, choice, and agency; lifelong learning; a safe, caring, and inclusive community; collaborative partnerships; innovation; and a sense of belonging for all.

Performance Responsibilities:

Nursing

• Plans, supervises, assigns, coordinates, and reviews the work of the school nurses;
• Develops and implements written policies and procedures for the clinical services and programs addressing health issues, such as immunizations, screenings, medication administration, services for students with special healthcare needs, and school-wide injury prevention programs;
• Responsibility for oversight of all Department of Health requirements
• Leads the grant writing and submission for all Health and Wellness grants and oversees the implementation of all grant activities.
• Carries out the duties of Nurse Leader as described in the Essential School Health Infrastructure Grant
• Evaluates the annual budget for medical supplies and makes recommendations for purchase;
• Provides clinical consultation to the nursing staff, to health and physical education teachers, and to other administrative and teaching staff;
• Leads the district’s Wellness Committee, and plans all agendas, inviting key stakeholders to all meetings
• Carries out communicable disease prevention and infection control based on current guidelines for universal precautions and prevention of exposure to bloodborne pathogens;
• Promotes referrals to community providers of a range of services dealing with child and adolescent health;
• Coordinates and sometimes delivers professional development for all school nurses, and for other employees when requested;
• Coordinates with the Director of Student Services to provide guidance and training on the 504 process.
• Supports the work of the school nurses and their clinics, including but not limited to arranging substitute coverage and nurse support for field trips, when needed.
• The omission of specific duties here does not exclude them from the position’s responsibilities if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position.

Job Qualifications:

• Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) licensure as a School Nurse; DESE licensure as Supervisor/Director or other administrative license approved by the superintendent of schools with at least three years of experience in school nursing or a related field.
• Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Nursing or related field, and a valid Massachusetts Registered Nurse license.
• Current certification in CPR, with a CPR Trainer certification preferred.
• Ability to maintain confidential information, including but not limited to student health information and records.
• Ability to evaluate school nurses in accordance with the Unit A collective bargaining agreement, including its Evaluation Protocols and DESE guidelines.
• Ability to manage own workload and prioritize tasks; excellent communication skills and demonstrated ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing is integral.
• Demonstrated interpersonal skills and the ability to relate well with students, staff, administration, parents, and the community.
• Must be able to assist in the protection of students and school property, and assist in fire and other emergencies or emergency drills as required by law and School Committee policy.
• The ability to work onsite in district schools and buildings is an essential function of this job.
• Preferred Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate (ALICE) trained.
• The omission of specific duties here does not exclude them from the position’s responsibilities if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position.

Physical Demands:

• Much of the work is performed in a typical office environment requiring minimal to light physical effort. This may include everyday discomforts and distractions typical of office settings, such as proximity to colleagues, temperature fluctuations, frequent interruptions, and moderate noise levels.
• This position may require the ability to operate a computer keyboard and standard office equipment efficiently and for extended periods.
• This position also requires the ability to drive to schools to work in district schools and buildings, assist school nurses, perform nursing services, or evaluate school nurses. This may involve standing, sitting, walking, and occasionally lifting.

Terms of Employment, Evaluation of Performance, and Salary:

The Director of Health and Wellness is an FLSA exempt with terms of employment, including length of work year, schedule, evaluation, and salary, negotiated individually with the Superintendent of Schools unless he or she delegates that responsibility. The position is benefit eligible, 200 work day position, salary is commensurate with experience and qualifications.